(19)

(11)

EP 1 354 302 A2

(12)

(88) Date of publication A3: 28.08.2003 (43) Date of publication: 22.10.2003 Bulletin 2003/43 (21) Application number: 01994625.0 (22) Date of filing: 27.10.2001

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: G07F 1/00 (86) International application number: PCT/EP0112/471 (87) International publication number: WO 0204/7040 (13.06.2002 Gazette 2002/24)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR Designated Extension States: AL LT LV MK RO SI (30) Priority: 09.12.2000 EP 00127046 (71) Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation Armonk, NY 10504 (US) IBM DEUTSCHLAND GMBH D-70569 Stuttgart (DE) LU	(72) Inventor: SCHERZER, Helmut 72070 Tübingen (DE) (74) Representative: Klein, Hans-Jörg  IBM Deutschland GmbH,Patentwesen und Urheberrecht,Pascalstrasse 100 70548 Stuttgart 70548 Stuttgart (DE)